Tillard, Philip Algernon

He was the eldest son of Algernon Tillard and Mary Tillard (daughter of Thomas Atkinson of Baltimore, USA) of Clover Hill, Maryland. His father had originally lived at Stukeley Hall in Huntingdonshire before moving to America. He entered Winchester from Horris Hill, leaving in 1900 for Magdalen College, Oxford.

He took his degree in 1904 and the following year entered the Army and the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. In 1912 he retired from the service and joined the Shropshire Yeomanry.

When war broke out he was Land Agent to Mr Noel H Wills of Cirencester. He first served with the Indian cavalry in 1915 in France but then transferred to the East Surrey Regiment which had taken heavy losses early in the Somme battles, the casualties including Captain Charles Stanley Pearce (1907-13) . By mid November 1916 they were in the front line near Courcelette and early in the morning of 19th November formed up for an assault on Desire Trench, in the final attack of the Somme offensive of 1916. Casualties were heavy and at some point Tillard was killed. It is likely that he was in charge of B Company that day.

On 10th June 1914 he married Augusta Muriel Hay Murray, daughter of Robert Murray.

War: World War 1

Surname:
Tillard

Forenames or initials:
Philip Algernon

House:
C

Years in School:
1895-1900

Rank:
Captain

Regiment:
Shropshire Yeomanry

Date of Birth:
6th June 1882

Date of Death:
19th November 1916

How Died:
Killed in action

Location in War Cloister:
Outer A4

Decoration:
NA

Burial Site:
Unknown but commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Pier and Face 1A